Civil servants shelve strike as FG pays arrears

The Association of Civil Servants of Nigeria, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress, has shelved its planned strike following the commencement of payment of salary arrears on Tuesday by the Federal Government.

The association had issued a one-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to settle outstanding payments to federal officers or risk a three-day nationwide strike.

The strike was scheduled to commence on September 18 in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies throughout the country.

Sources in ASCSN told The PUNCH that the Federal Government had commenced the payment of the outstanding arrears and allowances.

The association however warned that if the payment process was scuttled, the strike would begin without further notice.

ASCSN also enjoined its members in the MDAs to remain calm as the union was closely monitoring the situation.

ASCSN, in a statement by its National President, Bobboi Kaigama; and Secretary-General, Alade Lawal, said the strike “had to be put on hold since the Federal Government had started paying the affected officers their outstanding entitlements.”

The statement partly read partly, “Some MDAs where affected workers have started to receive payment since Monday include Energy Commission of Nigeria, Federal Character Commission, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, National Boundary Commission, National Library of Nigeria and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

“As a responsible trade union, we have to suspend the strike since payment has started and we commend the government for kick-starting the process. We wish to advise the government to ensure that payment must continue until all federal officers receive their full entitlements.”

Lawal had urged prominent citizens, royal fathers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to prevail on the Federal Government to pay the debt owed federal officers and not to wait for the strike.

While regretting that for more than two years, the Federal Government had promised to pay federal officers their outstanding entitlements but failed to do so, the union had warned that the patience of the workers had been exhausted on the matter. Lawal stressed that if not for the trade union skills employed by the leadership of the ASCSN, the entire federal public service would have been paralysed by strike.

He recalled that the ASCSN wrote several letters to the Presidency to settle the debts owed federal officers but the government treated it with unseriousness.

“Although the Federal Government had issued two different circulars directing the MDAs to compile the names of their members of staff that were affected which they did; yet, no payment was made,” he said.
http://punchng.com/civil-servants-shelve-strike-as-fg-pays-arrears/

bappahman:
FG to pay 30 MDAs arrears next week,

@bappahman, Can u please list the 30 MDAs? the picture u uploaded above is not very clear. thank.